Sink
by crazysockmonkeys
Summary: As Daphne does the dishes, she realizes something quite lovely about her life. One-shot.


**Author's note: Hello, everyone! This is something I wrote in a short amount of time that really doesn't have much plot or much...purpose. It certainly is not one of my best works, but I hope you enjoy it nevertheless!**

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Daphne sighed as she looked at all of the dishes that had to be done. She had completed enough work today without having to stand at the sink for a good hour or so. Although she only washed dishes for the three people who lived in the house, it felt like a cumbersome thing to do after dinner when all she wanted to do was...well, nothing.

She plugged the sink, squirted in some dish washing soap, and began to fill the sink. After a minute or two, she turned off the water and reluctantly set to work. Just as she had put the first plate into the water, she heard the sound of the door opening and closing.

"Hello, Niles."

"Good evening, Frasier. Where's Daphne?"

This was what made washing dishes interesting—the little conversations she could pick up on if she listened closely enough. Often, the Crane men spoke loud enough that hearing them from the kitchen was not too difficult, even though usually what Mr. Crane and the elder Dr. Crane had to say to each other in the evening was nothing interesting, in fact, more often than not it was the sound of them fighting over what to watch on TV or Martin wanting Frasier to get him a beer, Frasier of course saying no. But occasionally, when Daphne was lucky, she could pick up on real conversation and hear about things she never got to hear about any other time, and the arrival of Dr. Crane's brother almost guaranteed her that tonight was going to be one of those nights.

"She's in the kitchen," responded Frasier.

There was silence as Niles walked into the kitchen to admire Daphne. "Hello there," he said to her, his hands behind his back. "Do you need any help?"

"No, Dr. Crane, but thank you," said Daphne.

"Are you certain?"

"Yes, Dr. Crane, but you're very sweet to ask."

"Really, it's no trouble at all-"

Daphne laughed. "I promise you, I don't need any help. You go and enjoy your visit with your father and brother."

Niles sighed as Daphne turned her attention back to the sink, and he turned and went back to the living room.

She kept working as the talking began in the other room. "Daphne didn't need any...assistance," said Niles.

"My, what a shame," said Frasier sarcastically. Daphne didn't really know what he was talking about, but she dismissed it. "So Niles, how's Maris?" He continued.

"She's doing well, although she is, how might I say this, completely and utterly mortified to be my wife."

"Oh dear, what happened?"

"I...well, it's rather embarrassing to speak of."

"Come on, Niles," prodded Martin, speaking for the first time.

"Well, if you must know," Niles began, "Maris and I were attending a soiree given by Arnold Renson, the owner of Renson's Art Gallery."

"Oh, Renson's is one of the top galleries in Seattle. You're lucky to have been invited," Frasier added.

"Precisely, that is why this story is so humiliating. Maris and I were walking arm in arm, which is a rare treat; as you know Maris dislikes public displays of pairing. As we were walking, I...we...we came to a rather long flight of stairs, and mind you, it was a large party with lots of well-dressed guests mingling about."

"Wait I minute, I wonder why Renson opted not to invite me..."

"Shut up, Frasier. What happened next, Niles?"

"As we were declining the steps, I looked down to observe the lovely color of the delicious wine Renson was serving, and not one moment later did I stumble right into Miss Margaret A. Dostal, the recent acquirer of the Dostal fortune. I spilled the wine all over her and in leaning forward to apologize I tripped and began to fall down the entire flight of stairs, rolling about like a drunken sailor as guests veered to get out of my way. I landed at the bottom on the cold, hard marble floor and my head landed on the feet of a servant who in turn dropped her tray of champagne glasses to fall and spill into a hearty mess which caused many others to land on the floor with me. Frasier, I swear the image of seeing old Mrs. Riley Pearson on the ground in her body stockings and velvet dress is forever burned into the back of my eyes."

All of a sudden, Daphne burst out laughing, even though she knew it was at poor Dr. Crane's expense. The delicate wine glass she had in her wet and soapy hand slipped and fell to the floor in a high sound that spread through the entire house and she stopped laughing.

"DAPHNE!" She heard from the living room as Niles bounded in as quickly as possible.

"Oh, Dr. Crane, nothing to worry..." Suddenly, she fell into laughter again at the silliness of the story this man had just told.

"Daphne...you heard that story, didn't you?"

"Yes, Dr. Crane, and I'm so sorry to laugh, it's just..."

"I understand. Quite honestly, it is rather humorous." Niles chuckled.

"But I didn't mean to make you even more embarrassed."

"Of course not, Daphne. Now, let me pick up this glass for you."

"Now now, Dr. Crane, I was the one who broke it."

"But your hands are wet and your skin is vulnerable to cuts..."

"How about I dry them off and we both pick this up, all right?"

"All right."

As Niles and Daphne picked up the pieces, Niles murmured small things to Daphne such as, "Careful, Daphne." "Oh, please Daphne, don't cut yourself." "Be careful, there's a piece by your foot."

They finished cleaning up the big pieces, Daphne swept up the kitchen and then went in to apologize to Frasier. After that was done, she went in and finished the dishes while listening to Niles explain his problem further and asking for help. When she was through, she sat in the living room and joined in on the conversation.

As she pondered it, she realized that maybe it was unpleasant to do little tasks like washing dishes, but it was a small price to pay for getting to live here and feel like part of a family when she was so far away from her own. Inconvenient things sometimes made for closer friendships, and on occasion mistakes were the best at revealing things. Looking at all of this, Daphne thought about her life and realized that although she was unattached, even the small things in her life were filled shadowed in pleasantries, even if at first they were invisible.

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**The End**


End file.
